


Doomed

by DL666



Series: Hakuoki Demons and Duty One shots and main stories [2]
Category: Hakuouki
Genre: Drunken Kissing, Drunken Shenanigans, F/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-28 07:49:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20060536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DL666/pseuds/DL666
Summary: Aiko is feeling uncertain after taking her demonic form in front of both Chizuru and the Shinsengumi captains she traveled with.Death was no stranger, even between demons in these troubled times. But some Sake and company is quick to wipe away her fears.Now if only she could tell her head to behave whenever Harada glanced in her direction...





	Doomed

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all this was just a quick thing to work through some writers block for Demons and Duty! Featuring Aiko and Sano ( with some Baka trio of course)

Aiko slowly stood, her hand wrenching her blade out from the body of her fellow demons and she watched as he fell back to the ground, his body as blood red as her clothing...

She stepped back a bit. Nearly stumbling as her ears still rang from the gunshots and explosions near her head.

Her hair was stained white, with flecks of red smeared across it. Horns sweeping backwards like a dragon’s…

Her eyes were red like a furies. She turned to face the sound of her men approaching. Keiji was the first to react, the younger greater demon stepped in front of her, his hand covering her own on the hilt of her katana, he pried her fingers off one by one where they remained rigid around the grip.

Her eyes closed and she released the blade, allowing him to take it from her as her appearance shifted back to her human form.

“...that’s the last of them?” She asks in a tone more steady than she felt. 

Keiji nodded at her, silent and cautious. His gaze was observant and Aiko quickly pulled herself together to avoid those questions hidden in her friends gaze. 

She had no time for concern. Facing the Shinsengumi captains she swallowed. Her lips pursing. “We should keep moving…”

No one spoke as she began to lead the way. Fingers curling into loose fists at her side. 

***

It wasn’t until they returned to Edo, staying with Matsumoto Sensei near the room where Okita was recovering, that Aiko heard the tap of feet outside her room.

Three sets, one lighter, tentative. Heisuke practically exuded concern like a physical item instead of an emotion.

A clumsier heavier set, that could only be Shinpachi. His halting voice heard occasionally and hushed by the final member of the three.

Harada…

To be perfectly honest, with her senses dulled in her human form she didn’t hear the red haired captain’s steps at all. For someone so tall, so...charismatic and welcoming, he could hide his presence well.

“Ah...Aiko?” Heisuke called. “Are you awake?” Formalities had long since been dropped between them. He reminded Aiko keenly of her younger siblings. The image was hard to shake whenever he spoke or shifted to the form of a fury…

The Himura clan’s blood helped create the water of life after all, the stark red eyes made it hard to ignore. The pang of loss that struck her chest whenever the young captain looked up at her made her feel completely at odds with her emotions.

Greater demons do not bow to feelings. It didn’t stop her from being hurt all the same.

Heisuke was still waiting for an answer, silent as could be she rose and moved to slide the door open. Peering at the three men in silence as she inspected them each quietly.

“There she is!” Heisuke proclaimed happily, his shorter hair made him look older, but his voice? It made her lips twitch before she could stop herself.

“Aiko-chan.” Harada greeted next. Before he lifted something up for her to see. “We were in a sharing mood.” 

Aiko glanced to the bottle of sake he held up and blinked. Glancing to Shinpachi next who merely grinned, clearly already a few drinks deep.

“... if any of you pass out I’m drawing on your faces and leaving you for Souji to find.” Her voice drawls finally and the three grin at her before she steps back and motions them into the room. 

“Excuse the intrusion.” Harada offers but the lopsided smile he sent her way was friendly and not as hesitant as Heisuke and Shin. 

His eyes met her own and she found no judgement in their depths. Only curiosity and warmth like always. She could remember the heat of his broad back pressed to her own, the swish of his spear slicing so quickly through the air near her as they fought back to back against hordes of furies. 

Shaking herself out of the stupor she lowered her eyes in a rare demure expression. “It’s fine. It’s not like I live here after all.”

Harada cocks his head to the side, strands of red tumbling into his amber eyes briefly and Aiko had the indescribable urge to brush the damn hair out of his face. 

Looking for excuses to touch someone wasn’t a good sign, they hadn’t even started drinking yet. It didn’t help that she wasn’t allowed to have such urges towards anyone, let alone a human man with pretty eyes.

Rather than give thought to such emotions, Aiko let the three men drag her into their usual antics and soon sake flowed between them faster than words. She watched Heisuke and Shin practically lean on each other for support. Heisuke’s cheeks almost the colour of Harada’s hair as he reached for another glass.

“You should have seen Chizuru’s face!” Heisuke was saying between fits of laughter. “ Shin was showing off in the exam and she walked in- I think the doctor wanted to hit him in the head if he wasn’t so worried about damaging his brain even more.” He cackles his head lolling backwards as he catches himself with two hands behind him, grinning broadly. 

“I was doing him a favour!” Shinpachi exclaimed, eyes bright as he slaps a hand down on his knee. “How can I hide this much man from anyone?” He flexes both arms and shoots Aiko a glance pointedly. “ Ah?”

Harada shakes his head, one leg bent and his arm resting against his knee as he drank leisurely, Aiko was sure he drank more than the rest of them combined but he barely seemed impacted by alcohol. Not even a slur to his speech could be heard. 

“You flex for men and women and they both roll their eyes Shin.” Harada drawls turning to Aiko and offering out a cup that she accepts with a smirk at his words.

Sake made everything kind of hazy and far away. It felt a bit like her eyes had shifted towards their demonic state, a sort of aura lingering around the edges of people and objects. Harada glowed like a fire and she felt her fingertips tingle when their hands brushed for merely a moment as the cup passed between them. 

Shin immediately complained but Aiko merely observed the three as they spoke and animatedly included her in their stories. Her cheeks hurt from hurting and laughing next to them. 

It didn’t take much longer before Heisuke and Shin went down for the count. Slumped next to each other, Heisuke practically using Shin’s shoulder as a pillow as the larger man leaned his head back against the wall.

“Man they never learn…” Harada said shaking his head as he looks over the various glasses and cups, trying to organize the empty and full cups and giving up as he slumped back next to Aiko. “Sorry about them.” 

Aiko shakes her head, hair flying with the action, having come loose at some point between drinks. “It’s alright. It’s better to see them laughing.” She mumbled, watching him as he leaned his head back, eyes closed as he released a hum of agreement. 

“You wanna find a brush and make good on your threat?” He asked, turning his head and peering at her with half open amber eyes.

Aiko shook her head and slowly moved to stand stumbling only slightly. “Nah they need the sleep- but I could do with some air.” She paused, mind working as her lips remained parted, working her way through the words before offering him a hand up. “Do you want to come?” 

Harada stares at her hand for a moment or two too long and Aiko nearly lets her arm fall before she feels his firm calloused grip as he lets her help him stand. “Better than ending up like those two.” Harada supplies easily.

They quietly close the door behind them and cautiously walked put into the back of the property. 

Aiko let her eyes wander up towards the sky. Pausing at the top of a small mound under a tree. Her hair swaying lightly in the breeze as Harada stopped next to her.

The two of them were silent as they admired the night sky. After a few moments Aiko let her eyes fall shut, sighing out gently under her breath.

A touch made her jolt and open her eyes, glancing at Harada as his hand froze mid air. Watching each other he reached forward again and plucked a leaf from her hair, gently removing it from the brown strands and dropping it. He smiled at her afterwards. Silent and sheepish as Aiko felt like her own heart was caught in her throat.

Her mouth worked and finally she mumbled a soft thanks, though Harada merely nodded to her.

They lapsed back into silence. Peering at each other, when he reached forward this time she didn’t flinch and merely watched as he brushed her hair back, fingers grazing her cheek before settling just at the side of her jaw. 

Aiko felt frozen, locked into place by amber eyes as he seemingly observed his fingers absentmindedly. 

Harada met her gaze after a couple of moments and Aiko swore she felt her heart lurch in her chest. The lightest prodding of his fingers shifting to her chin. Lifting her head up as she took a small step forward, eyes hazy, breaths short. 

If either of them were asked later who moved first they wouldn’t be able to say. One second they weren’t touching, then suddenly they were and the chain reaction was heated and quick. 

Lips met, brief and soft, Aiko could tell in a split second that Harada had kissed plenty of women. The softness vanished quickly however, her hands grasping at the loose sides of his clothing- feeling the buttons he refused to actually use around his collarbone. Harada slipped his hand from her chin to the back of her head, the other arm banding around her waist and pulling her closer as the embrace deepened. 

Aiko followed his guidance backwards until her back met with the rough trunk of the tree. Harada was sure where she was not, his lips brushing her own, tongue pressing to the centre of her lower lip in silent request for her to open. 

If she had any sense left at all, she might have denied the noise that escaped her as she followed his lead. Her lips parted tentatively and the groan Harada released, surged through her like thunder. Tongues met, tangling and twisting as Harada dragged his thumb over her cheek bone in a soft caress. 

They parted only to breathe and adjust before diving back in and he pressed flush to her slim frame, seaming their bodies from chest to hip as if any space between them was insulting. Rough fingers shifted against the back of her yukata. Toying with the fabric, feeling briefly bold Aiko let her teeth catch his bottom lip, dragging over it slowly before releasing him. 

Heated amber eyes locked with her own blue and she felt for a second like she was playing with fire. The next kiss was rough, stealing her breath as Harada gently guided her head back with a firm grip on her hair. Enough to control but not hurt and the moan she released was quickly swallowed by him. He pressed closer, crowding her against the tree as his hips shifted forward enough to let her feel his arousal.

She felt like she was burning, the clothes between them felt suddenly constricting. She needed to touch him, fingers brushing over his chest but her mind drunkenly couldn’t keep up with what she even wanted to try and achieve past that, she fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. Uncertain and dazed. 

He released her so she could remember to breathe, his lips brushing down over her jaw and down the tense line of her throat, teeth teasing the tendon as she leaned back against the tree. Letting him support her as her heart thumped against her ribs like a bird wanting to escape its cage. 

He pulled back enough to catch her gaze and just before they could get lost back into whatever in demons name had consumed them- a large bang and yowl sounded and they separated faster than a gunshot. 

Staring bewildered, hair mussed. Sanosuke watched a black cat dart towards the fence and off into the streets. His breath was heavy and he looked back to Aiko who was holding her yukata by the collar, her eyes wide and cheeks darker than he’d ever seen.

They stood silently that way before Harada dragged a hand back through his hair, releasing a heavy breath and clearing his throat. 

“Well…” he mumbled. 

Aiko lowered her eyes. Lips stinging and swollen from what they’d done. She absentmindedly let her fingers brush over her lips. 

She was screwed.

Rough fingers caught her own and Sano pulled her back to reality. “Let’s...call it a night.” He reasoned gently. Watching her hesitantly as if expecting her to flinch or run away from him.

Silently however she nodded, the two decided not to speak again as they made their way back into the building. Harada led her to his room and paused. Fingers still wrapped around her own. “I’ll go deal with those two, waking Shin when he’s like this is like waking the dead.” He paused and glanced at her. “So you can take my room tonight.”

Aiko laughed softly at his description of Shinpachi. Picturing it clear as day in her head. She wanted to deny him, but seeing his offer made the most sense she nodded, their hands slowly dropping away from each other.

Harada watched her closely, amber eyes clear and warm still. 

He reached up and cupped her cheek leaning down to kiss the corner of her mouth. “Get some sleep, Aiko.” He whispered, his deep voice sounding near her ear and locking away into her brain. Alcohol or no alcohol she wouldn’t forget the sensation of his skin meeting her own anytime soon if ever.

He smiled at her, confident, calm. His cheeks still slightly dark as he finally turned and walked further down the hall.

Stepping into his room and leaning back against it afterwards, Aiko tried to calm her racing heart.

Her finger traced her lips and she closed her eyes to recall the sensation.

Gods above she was so unbelievably doomed.


End file.
